1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vending machine for packaged commodities such as packs of cigarettes, and more particularly, to a vending machine with a simple construction in which commodities can be efficiently loaded into commodity columns, and the commodities selectively dispensed from the columns can be guided steadily and securely to a commodity outlet.
1. Description of the Prior Art
In general, a vending machine for packaged commodities, such as packs of cigarettes, comprises a plurality of rows of commodity columns corresponding to various types of commodities. A plurality of commodities are stacked in layers in each commodity column. If one of commodity selector switches is operated, one of the commodities stored in that commodity column which corresponds to the operated switch is selected and dispensed from the column. The commodity dispensed from the commodity column is guided to a commodity outlet, through which it can be taken out.
FIG. 21 shows an outline of a typical conventional vending machine. This machine comprises a plurality of stages of commodity columns 1 that are arranged back to back in two rows. The commodity columns 1 on the back side are designed so as to dispense the commodities on the rear-panel side (back side) of a body 2, and the columns 1 on the front side to dispense the commodities on the side (front side) of a door 4. The commodities dispensed from the back-side columns 1 are guided to a commodity outlet 6 through a commodity chute unit 3 that is defined between the columns 1 and a rear panel of the body 2. The commodities dispensed from the front-side columns 1, on the other hand, are guided to the outlet 6 through a commodity chute unit 5 that is incorporated in the door 4.
FIG. 22 shows an outline of another conventional vending machine. This machine comprises commodity columns 1 of a double-column structure in which commodities stacked in layers are stored in two rows, front and back. The commodities stored in the commodity columns 1 are successively dispensed on the front side. The vending machine having these commodity columns 1 of the double-column structure, compared with the vending machine with the construction shown in FIG. 21, is reduced in depth by a margin for the elimination of the commodity chute unit 3 between the back-side commodity columns 1 and the rear panel of the body 2. In FIG. 22, numeral 7 denotes a commodity dispensing mechanism that underlies each commodity column 1.
In the conventional vending machine with the construction shown in FIG. 21, the commodities cannot be loaded into the back-side commodity columns 1 unless the front-side commodity columns 1 are drawn out forward. Accordingly, the commodity loading efficiency of this machine is not very high. In the vending machine with the construction shown in FIG. 22, on the other hand, the commodities must be loaded into the inner and outer parts of each commodity column 1 at a time. In this machine, therefore, the commodities cannot be efficiently loaded into the inner part of each column 1.
Each commodity column 1 incorporates a depth adjusting member (not shown) for use as a commodity guide mechanism. This adjusting member serves to adjust the posture of the stored commodities to be guided to a commodity dispensing portion that is located in the highest or lowest position in each column 1, thereby securing the delivery of the commodities. The depth adjusting member is regulated for each commodity column 1, depending on the commodity size, and its adjusting portion normally projects in front of each column 1 so as to be situated over a commodity dispensing aperture of the column 1.
The commodity chute unit 5 for guiding the commodities dispensed from the commodity columns 1 to the commodity outlet is located behind the door 4 so as not to interfere with the adjusting portion of the commodity guide mechanism. In order to minimize the depth of the vending machine, the chute unit 5 is designed having the form of a thin commodity chute having a width corresponding to the thickness of each commodity. In order to guide the commodities dispensed from the commodity columns 1 securely into the narrow chute unit 5, commodity posture correcting guides are arranged individually in the respective commodity dispensing apertures of the columns 1 and commodity receiving apertures of the chute unit 5. The posture correcting guides are used as connecting members for connecting the commodity dispensing apertures of the commodity columns 1 and the commodity chute unit 5.
The vending machine constructed in this manner has a wide space that extends between the commodity chute unit 5 and the front side of the commodity columns 1 so as not to interfere with the adjusting portion of the commodity guide mechanism. This space is a dead space that cannot be utilized for any of the functions of the vending machine. Further, the commodity chute unit 5 contains therein various devices for regulating the posture of the falling commodities, thereby preventing jams. Thus, junctions between the commodity columns 1 and the commodity chute unit 5, as well the chute unit 5 itself, are complicated in construction.